


You Are Not Alone

by Tawananna



Category: DCU (Animated), Superman - All Media Types, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Brother Billy, F/M, Gen, Justice League isn't so accepting of mysterious clones, Prompt Fill, Superman accepts Superboy right away
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-17
Updated: 2016-10-25
Packaged: 2018-03-01 20:32:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2786747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tawananna/pseuds/Tawananna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hiatus! </p><p>Superboy has the trust and love of Superman from the very beginning. Too bad that's not the case with the rest of the league.</p><p>A world where Superman and the Justice league's opinions on Superboy are reversed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Pairings: Gen for now

Genre: Drama, Family

Summary: AU! YJ Anon Prompt. In another world, Superman loved and accepted Superboy the moment he saw him. Too bad the Justice League was not as understanding. Father!Superman, Brother!Billy

Inspired by a prompt from the YJ anon meme with the premise of Superman accepts Superboy and the league does not.

* * *

 

You Are Not Alone

Clark was sixteen when his parents revealed the spaceship they hid in the cellar and learned of his alien heritage and the fact that he was now the last of his species.

“Jor-El might not have known everything,” Pa consoled him as they left the cellar. “Maybe other parents got their children off world in time as well. You can’t give up, son”

Clark deeply hoped he was right.

* * *

 

He was twenty-two when he makes his public debut in Metropolis and uses his powers publically as Superman. It is the most frightening, exciting time of his life. Between the sudden onslaught of metahumans determined to fight him, the letters of how people are glad to see he is protecting them, and those wondering if he’s here to start an invasion.

“Did you hear?” Lois asked him one morning. “Superman, seems to be have gotten some competition?”

“Oh?” He asked raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

Lois slides him a picture of a dark haired woman, flying through the air in a brightly colored armored swimsuit. “This was taken in Washington. She’s calling herself Wonder Woman. Do you think they’re re-”

But he is already gone.

Lucky for him, Wonder Woman is surprisingly easy to find. He found her after her sound defeat of a woman who looked to be more cat than human in downtown Washington.

“Superman,” She greeted with a smile, glowing from battle “I heard about you. You’ve been doing good work.”

“Can we talk?” He asked.

“Of course,” She said.

Wonder Woman soon turns out to be one of the nicest women Clark has ever met. And not a day goes by that Clark isn’t grateful that he has met her.

But she was not Kryptonian.

* * *

 

His friendship with Wonder Woman only grows, and he meets others heroes along the way, Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern and so many others fighting the big fight with him. And by the time he’s thirty, they even form an organization, a Justice League to protect others. He doesn`t feel so alone anymore. Even when Hamilton tells him that he cannot have a child with a human female.

“There’s a guy calling himself Captain Marvel that’s appeared in Fawcett City recently,” Flash said during one of their meetings. He puts up a picture of a flying dark haired man with a lightning bolt emblazoned on his chest. “Nice guy from what I heard. Maybe he should be up for league membership.”

“He _is_ a nice guy,” Hal confirmed. “I met him. Seems like a bigger boy scout than old Supey here. He seems like he’d be a fine addition.”

“We’re not a clubhouse,” Batman growled lowly. “He shouldn’t join our organization for a reason as simple as you liking the guy, Hal.”

“Now wait a minute.“ Hal said, raising his finger towards the dark knight, preparing to start one of their very common arguments.

“What are his powers?” Black Canary asked interrupting the fight that was about the take place.

“So far all we’ve seen is Super Strength and Flight, like Diana and Clark.” Flash said. “Heck, he even looks like Clark.”

And with that, a spark of hope that Clark long thought was gone is instantly re-lit.

“Maybe I should check him out?” Clark asked turning his attention to Bruce. “That way we can see if he’s a good fit.”

“Do whatever you want,” Bruce said.

And so Clark did.

* * *

 

Captain Marvel turns out to be another false lead and Clark’s heart breaks in a way he couldn’t even believe was still possible.

The cheerful Captain was a good person and obviously league material.

But he was not Kryptonian.

“I got my powers magically one day,” he told him omitting the exact circumstances that occurred. “And now that I got them. I really just want to help people. Like you,” he added his cheeks turning a dark scarlet. “You’re like my role model you know.”

“I’m sure you’ll do great.” Clark told him with conviction.

* * *

 

By the time the new hero named Icon appears, in a space-ship just like him, with powers, just like his Clark has learned not to get his hopes up.

But that does not stop him from keeping up with exploits anyway.

After a long fight with Wotan who tried to blot out the sun, Clark is prepared to collapse when he finally gets back to his apartment. Just as he’s about to change out of his costume, he hears the call.

With a sigh, he turns on his communicator to hear the familiar voice of a certain dark knight on the other side.

“Get to the hall,” Bruce ordered. Before he could even ask why, the dark knight had already hung up.

With a sigh, he turns right around and flies back towards the Hall of Justice.

* * *

 

Bruce isn’t there to greet him. Instead a concerned Wonder Woman is standing outside the entrance, her arms crossed.

That couldn’t be a good sign.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s better if you just see for yourself,” Diana said, gesturing for him to go inside. Along the way, she apologizes for Bruce’s absence and tells him he had to leave due to a dangerous stunt that the sidekicks had apparently pulled in Gotham.

She drags him into one of their rarely used interrogation rooms hidden in the back of the hall, and Superman is growing more and more concerned by the moment. She guides him to behind one to their one sided mirrors to peer inside.

“He scared the life out of Catherine and the security team by the way.” Diana said as he walked inside. “They were locking up when they saw him.”

Superman peered inside to see what had caused so much commotion and gasped.

Inside was a boy.

A teenage boy, a little past sixteen was dressed in overly large clothing was pacing around the room, barefoot. Dirt and grime covered the plain green and large hoodie and jeans he was wearing along with several burn holes that revealing a white material that seemed to actually be glowing underneath.

His spitting image at sixteen.

“He said he wouldn’t talk to anyone else but you,” Diana told him.

But he barely hears her when he sees eyes that are so blue they are almost glowing meet his gaze.

He is Kryptonian.

And Clark suddenly feels so light; he wondered how he managed to still keep his feet on the ground at the moment.

“I’m going to talk to him,” He said to the Amazon and walked inside before she could say another word.

“Superman!” The boy exclaimed with a younger version Clark’s own voice.

“I heard you wanted to talk to me?” He asked with a neutral expression. Hiding the fact that his heart thumping so loudly in his ears he wondered if the boy could hear it.

The boy opens his mouth and starts to tell him one of the strangest stories, he has ever heard.

Clark learns several things about the boy in quick succession.

He is named Project Kr: The Superboy.

He is the product of years of research of a facility that would make Frankenstein have nightmares. The clone of the Superman, created for the sole purpose of replacing Superman in the situation he dies.

And he has just run away from the only home he has ever known.

Superman isn’t sure how to process all the information that he is bombarded with. The horror of being cloned is quickly squashed by the feeling of wanting to console the obviously distraught teenager.                                                                                                                                      

“What am I supposed to do now?” The boy asked him after finishing his long story, nearly begging as he said it. His eyes filled with fear and confusion.

“Anything you want,” Clark told him. “You’re not alone anymore.”

Neither was he.

 

* * *

 

Notes: Young Justice! Superman was obsessed with finding another Kryptonian in canon in Icon, in Captain Marvel which is why it bothered me so much he ignored Superboy. So I got interested in a universe where he accepted Superboy right away.

 

 

 


	2. Meals and Questions

You Are Not Alone

Chapter Two: Meals and Questions

* * *

In retrospect Dick probably shouldn't have listened to Wally.

The idea the speedster had proposed was simple. They would solve a crime without the help of the league. Show them that they weren't the kids they thought they were.

It was their unfortunate luck that the first major crime had to be in Gotham.

And that the criminal in question was Poison Ivy.

To their credit before their mentors had appeared. They were in fact kicking some green butt and no matter what the adults said Dick was certain if they just had a bit more time they could have beaten her.

"Do you have any idea how reckless you were?" Bruce asked for fifth time that hour but Dick knew better not to answer that.

"We were stopping a crime."

"You were showing off." Bruce snapped.

Dick knew he shouldn't have but the words slip out of his mouth before he can stop himself. "We were doing our job. You know the one you taught us to do. Maybe if you didn't treat us like children at every opportunity you'd see that."

"You are children."

"And as long as you think like that. We'll just do it again and again while your back is turned." Dick said lifting his chin in an attempt to make himself seem more confident than he actually was.

Bruce looked at him long and hard, his face completely unreadable. Dick feels like he's one o f Bruce's cases that is being slowly dissected in a million different angles.

"Go to bed." The Dark Knight ordered.

Dick did not need to be told twice.

* * *

Diana had taken it upon herself to investigate Cadmus and the fire, leaving the two kryptonians alone in the Hall of Justice. After moving Superboy to one of the much more comfortable rooms that the league used to use for downtime outside of missions, Superman started his quest for food for the child.

Unfortunately it seemed like the Hall's cafeteria had already closed by the time he had gotten there. While he knew he could just speed away to search for a open restaurant, a voice that sounded very much like Bruce told him that it was a bad idea to leave Superboy alone in the building. So instead Clark is forced to raid one of the many vending machines within the facility.

He could get Superboy something better in the morning.

"This was all I could scrounge up," Superman told Superboy apologetically when he returned. His arms were filled with assorted snacks and drinks, dropping them all on a nearby table before taking a seat on the couch next to Superboy. "I didn't know what you would like so I just got a bunch of different things."

"Thank you."

After watching Superboy ferociously start tearing into one of the many bags of chips in front of him, Clark felt rather depressed at the thought that this was probably Superboy's first solid meal.

He would get him something great in the morning to make up for this.

As he watched Superboy eat, Clark finally noticed something. Superboy was nearly his spitting image at sixteen. But after taking a second look, Clark noticed some differences. There were features, like the shape of his nose, eyebrows and jaw that were not quite right. He knew his cheekbones had not been as sharp as that age; they had been covered in baby fat. The features that just don't fit were at the same time hauntingly familiar to the Kryptonian.

But for the life of him, Clark just couldn't say why.

"Is there something on my face?" Superboy asked..

"No." Clark said quickly. Superboy now satisfied instantly went back to his food. But Superman was still left with some lingering questions. "By the way Superboy, you said earlier that the genomorphs taught you? What exactly did they teach you?"

"They taught me to read, to write," Superboy explained while he opened a can of pop. "I know the names of things. They taught me history, math, assorted sciences." He paused in thought for a moment before continuing, "I know a lot of languages like Martian and Atlantean."

Despite knowing as the only speaker it would be impossible, Clark was surprisingly put out that Kryptonian wasn't on the list of languages the clone knew.

He would just have to fix that.

"And the fire? How did it start?"

Superboy was silent, obviously contemplating on whether he should explain. After several seconds of silence, the boy opened his mouth. "Dubbilex. He's a genomorph like me. He started it. He got me out of my pod early." Superboy said clenching his jaw as he remembered the ordeal that occurred just a few hours ago. "The building was already on fire by the time I woke up. He shoved some clothes into my arms and told me to run during the chaos."

"Why did he-

"They labelled me defective and I was going to be retired for another model." Superboy said his gaze firmly on the ground while he spoke. "Dubbilex saved me."

Clark liked to think that the fact he didn't fly off to beat up everyone related to Cadmus at the moment was one of his better accomplishments, right up there with the time he pushed earth away to safety from an angry Solaris. Pushing down the rage he felt for the boy, he managed to continue. "Why would they do that?"

"Because I can't fly like you. I tried-I tried at Cadmus," Superboy explained. "But all I could do was jump really high when I did."

"But I couldn't at your age either!" Clark interrupted, wanting to shut down the toxic train of thought going through the younger man's head. "I didn't fly until I was eighteen."

"Really?"

"Yes," Clark said firmly. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with you."

Although the man of steel promised himself to get Superboy examined as soon as possible just to be safe.

* * *

As with every morning, Clark woke with the sun.

Having spent the night at the hall on one of its many couches, Clark looked to his right to see Superboy fast asleep on one of the nearby couches. Clark's cape draped over him as a makeshift blanket. Superboy had an expression of serenity on his face, a far cry from how distressed he had looked the night earlier. It was startling to Clark how much younger it made him look.

Clark was also briefly surprised to see that boy wasn't in fact another particularly cruel dream since he had many of those over the years.

The troubled boy he met last night was real. He despite his origins was a fellow kryptonian. Someone Clark could teach in his powers, his culture and the history of the House of El.

Someone he could take care of.

And considering the nightmare, Superboy had just escaped he desperately needed someone looking out for him.

While wondering how quickly he could convert his guestroom into a bedroom fit for a teenager and everything else Superboy would quickly need in order to live with him, Superman decided to fulfill the promise he made to himself earlier. Calling the nearest leaguer to watch over Superboy in his absence, Superman went to go find the best breakfast he possibly could for the younger clone.

Hopefully, a diner would be open by now.

* * *

Notes:

Sorry for the wait was on vacation and had this stuck on my computer back home.

Next chapter the rest of the league meets Superboy, but this time he doesn't have three teenagers to talk him up.

I'm friends with Shatterfire who made this prompt, and this came out of some ideas she dropped for SOS that I enjoyed. I will be giving Superboy, all his kryptonian powers throughout the story. A kryptonian that can't fly just makes me sad.


	3. Justice League

You Are Not Alone

Chapter Three: Justice League

* * *

"For those of you not aware," Diana said to the assembled league in front of her, "last night a teenage boy walked into the Hall of Justice calling himself, Superboy."

Clark listened intently as Wonder Woman explained to the League the results of her findings at Cadmus. The emergency meeting had been called by Batman, a little after breakfast. He had left Superboy, back at the hall where Catherine was giving. Diana had managed to verify what the teenage boy had told Clark. The strange facility beneath Cadmus, the bizarre creatures known as genomorphs they had engineered. She had even encountered one of the scientists who had transformed himself into a beast called Blockbuster in the process, gaining several bruises in the process.

"So are there more of these things?" Barry asked as soon as the amazon finished speaking. "I mean this one escaped but not all of them could be so lucky."

"The genomorphs I spoke to were pretty adamant that he was the only clone in the facility after I convinced them, Superboy was safe." Diana said. "Guardian worked at Cadmus and didn't even know this one existed. They've been keeping everything there tightly under wraps."

"But there could be more, right? In other facilities?" Hal inquired, crossing his arms. "Not just of Clark, here. They might be cloning their own weirdo mini-league right under our noses and we don't even know who 'they' are."

"That would be cool!" Captain Marvel piped in. "Can you imagine a teenage version of me running around? A little Captain Marvel Junior of my very own. "

"I think there's not enough room in this world for two Marvels," Black Canary said wryly.

"And can we sure this ' _Superboy'_ can be trusted," Captain Atom added. "I mean this whole situation sounds mighty convenient. Nobody in their right mind would get rid of an asset like their own little Kryptonian."

Clark ruffled at the way the nuclear Superhero said Superboy's name. But the murmurs of agreement amongst the league showed they shared Captain Atom's sentiment.

"Where is he now?" Hawkwoman asked, as always holding her husband's hand.

"At the hall."

"Alone?" That was Hawkman.

"With Catherine," Superman corrected. At the nervous glances shared among the members, he added defensively, "He's not going to do anything! He's a good kid."

"We don't know what it is," Batman said, speaking up for the first time. "But more importantly, do you have any idea how they managed to get your DNA?"

Clark shook his head. He had been wracking his brain for an opportunity since Superboy appeared but was left blank.

"In the best scenario, it was taken from the aftermath of a fight," Batman said, tenting his hands together in thought. "In the worst, your-all of our identities might be compromised and we have a gigantic security leak. As for Superboy, did it-"

"He. He's not an 'it'," Superman corrected.

" _He,"_ Batman continued, stressing the word grumpily. "Did he say anything useful? Does he know who is behind Cadmus?"

"Of course he doesn't. Why would he?" Captain Atom said. "That boy just doesn't smell right."

Before Superman could once again jump to the clone's defence, Red Tornado had beaten him to the punch.

"I believe this boy came to us for sanctuary, Captain Atom," Red Tornado said and if Clark didn't know better, he could swear he heard a tint of irritation in voice, "and despite his origins I believe we should give this child the benefit of the doubt. If it was not for him we would be in the dark of this organization that is plotting against us. Which I believe merits more of our attention."

After that, the conversation changed from Superboy to the exploits of the sidekicks. To, Clark's horror the stunt that they had pulled was trying to take on Poison Ivy on their own. Batman brings up the concept of a team for the sidekicks to join under the league's watchful eye to avoid a repeat.

It leads to J'onn bringing up his niece who snuck into his ship on his last visit to Mars who he thinks might benefit from such a team and Miss Martian quickly became the fourth member.

Realising the benefits of Superboy encountering, Meta-teenagers like himself, Clark tried to do the same with less positive results.

"No way in hell." Flash said as soon as he mentioned Superboy's name. "Don't get me wrong, Clark. I'm sure he's a nice kid. But we barely know anything about him and Kid Flash is my responsibility. I-I can't risk it."

The other mentors muttered similar sentiments.

"That doesn't sound fair," Captain Marvel said. "I mean we at least know more about him than J'onn's niece…no offence J'onn."

"Let's just put it to a vote," Wonder Woman said diplomatically. "Everyone for Superboy joining the team raise their hands."

Superman's arm practically hits the ceiling and he looked around the table to see Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Red Tornado, Black Canary, Green Arrow's hands in the air as well.

"Everyone one against?"

The other leaguers all raise their hands. The vote is left 6-10.

And with that it was decided.

Superboy would not be joining the Team.

* * *

The members slowly file out to interrupt crimes around until all that's left is Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman.

"You're not serious," Bruce said.

"What? All I said is I want Superboy to stay with me."

"You've known him for less than a day, Clark!" The Dark Knight exclaimed, rubbing his temple. "Just one day and you trust him around your parents—around Lois?"

"Yes."

"Of course you do." Turning his attention to Diana, he said, "of course he does. What other answer would you give me? Now, how exactly do you plan to explain him? You can't say he's a cousin or a distant relative. I doubt there's anyone in the country who doesn't know Clark Kent is adopted. "

"Then I'll say he's my son. Problem solved."

"Oh, Clark." Diana said softly, her eyes filled with sympathy and compassion. "Is that what you think of him?"

Honestly, Clark wasn't a hundred percent sure what he thought of Superboy. He had just said the first answer that popped into his head. The boy was young enough to be son. He technically  _was_  his son. Something he never thought he possibly could have.

The idea was  _nice_ now that he thought about it _._

"You shouldn't." Bruce said bluntly.

"Why are you so against him?"

"Because I don't like how you're behaving around him. You're being completely irrational," Bruce clarified. "We don't know the first thing about him and you're already rolling out the red carpet."

Bruce didn't get it. But Clark knew more than enough. When he saw the boy—his blood who reminded Clark so much of himself when he was young it ached, he couldn't see the violation. That responsibility lay completely on the monsters who had tried to weaponize a child. All he could see was the lost child who had begged him for guidance when his sense of purpose had fallen apart.

Now he had the opportunity to guide him, to give him help that he was never given when he was young.

That's all he needed to know.

"We could just put him in a safe house. Just for a few days." Diana offered cautiously.

Clark shook his head. "I'm taking Superboy home whether you or the rest of the league want me to or not."

* * *

By the time he managed to leave the Watchtower, the sun has just started to set in Washington. He managed to find Superboy in the hall curled up on one of the couches reading a copy of  _Harry Potter_   _and the Sorcerer's Stone_  that he must have gotten from one of the rec rooms _._

See, this is what the league just didn't get. Superboy was a completely normal boy.

The boy is so engrossed in the book he doesn't notice him standing over him, clearing his throat to get his attention. The boy instantly closed the book and greeted him with a smile.

"Superman!"

"Sorry it took so long," He apologized as the boy got up into a standing position. "I just had to get some things cleared up."

"The tour was interesting." Superboy offered.

"Well, it's getting late. We should probably get out of here. "

"To where? "

"Well, naturally you're coming home with me," he told him.

Superboy`s eyes widened in shock.

"I am?"

Superman nodded as he guided Superboy to the nearest zeta tube, to take him to his apartment building in Metropolis.

Well, Superboy might not have a team.

But he had him.

Superman hoped it was enough.

* * *

End Chapter


	4. Welcome Home, Superboy

Hey, been a while. I'm back

You may have seen an update since I wasn't aware the website registers deleting chapters as updating.

You Are Not Alone

* * *

Chapter Four: Welcome Home, Superboy

1938 Sullivan had been one of the many casualties of Atomic Skull's attack three years ago. The apartment complex had been reduced to rubble. Despite it along with many other buildings being rebuilt personally by the man of steel, many of its inhabitants had chosen to leave the city for safer pastures. Leaving Superman's close friend, Clark Kent of the Daily Planet to take a remodeled penthouse apartment at a steal.

That was what Superboy's had been taught, amongst many other facts of Superman's friends and acquaintances. So it was quite a surprise to Superboy to be flown to the building when the duo had arrived to Metropolis. The sun had now long set and the streetlights lit up

"Why are we meeting, Mr. Kent?" he asked as soon as he hoped off of Superman's arms onto the ground of the penthouse terrace. Being flown in someone's arms was a far cry from flying under your own power and it was very awkward for the boy. Peaking inside through the large glass door, he could see that the apartment had two levels and was modestly decorated.

Superman's eyes widened in alarm at the sound of the name. "How did you know…" he asked before trailing off. "Genomorphs?" Superboy nodded and Superman sighed. "We're going to have to go through everything they taught you tomorrow." Fetching a key from within in his cape, he opened the door and guided the boy inside.

Superboy walked inside, noticing several awards lining a shelf.

According to the information that Superboy was taught, Clark Kent was the number two reporter of the Daily Planet, a multiple Pulitzer award winning writer from the unimportant town of Smallville. Despite these accolades, he was a rather forgettable person; many times through the simulations of the daily planet the Genomorphs provided the young clone they forgot to include him.

The clone could see why, when he was remembered by the Genomorphs, the man was constantly hunched and looking down on the ground, His blue eyes were always hidden behind a pair of unfashionable glasses and his face and dark hair hidden under a hat usually running away as soon as danger appeared.

He wondered why Superman would bring him here as he took a seat on Mr. Kent's couch. It was well worn to the touch and had a large quilt and several handmade pillows on it. It was pointed towards large TV and a coffee table was buried underneath a mountain of books. A worn copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ was on the top of the list. Superman walked upstairs out of sight. To talk the homeowner, Superboy guessed. Seeing as there was no trace of the reporter downstairs.

He heard footsteps and Superman returned, no longer wearing his costume but a plain red shirt and slacks. Ruffling his own hair into no longer having his iconic spit curl, he put on a pair of unfashionable glasses and the transformation was complete.

Clark Kent was the man they forgot to put in simulations, the reporter who ran at the first sign of sign of trouble. He was an afterthought.

Clark Kent was Superman.

All Superboy could do was laugh.

* * *

"They forget me?" Su—Clark asked once he understood the younger boy's sudden case of laughter. He had reheated some leftover lasagna that his mother had made for the two of them to eat for dinner. The two had sat down on in his kitchen table. "That…That really shouldn't hurt my feelings as much as it does."

"You're secret identity is very effective," Superboy explained once he had calmed down. "I never would have guessed."

"People really don't think of Superman as the type to have a secret identity. That's why I don't wear a mask in the first place. But I guess I should be glad to see even the people who cloned me can't see past it."

"But why?" Superboy asked while taking a large bite of the dish for himself. It was quickly added to his list of delicious things. "Why do you hide?"

"It's to protect everyone I care about," the Kryptonian explained. "I have a lot of enemies. And a lot of them would go after my loved ones in revenge. Just because I'm bullet proof doesn't mean that they are too. Also…"

"Also?"

"I know how you were _programmed_ ," Superman said the word with distaste, "but you should know that being Superman is a very overwhelming job. There's a lot of responsibility and expectations that I don't think they taught you. It's not for the faint of heart."

"So you don't think I'm strong enough?" Superboy asked. The comment hit him like a knife and the little confidence that he had gained vanished in a puff of smoke. Cadmus had decided that he wasn't good enough. Maybe Superman had decided the same.

"No, no, no. Superboy, you're definitely plenty strong. That's not what I was trying to say at all," Clark said in an attempt to reassure the suddenly despondent boy. Clark placed his larger hand on top of the younger boy's. "But being Superman, It's more than just brute strength. Trust me when I say you'll learn that soon enough. There are a lot of times when even I don't want to be Superman. When I just want to be regular old Clark Kent."

The duo ate in silence for the rest of the meal. Afterwards, Clark took the used dishes into the sink and washed them with Superboy quietly observing him. After he was done, he looked at the boy like he had grown another head.

"What is it?" Superboy said. He looked over himself for anything strange to explain the older man's reaction.

"I can't believe I forgot something so basic."

"What?"

Clark's face split into a grin. The heavy air from before disappearing in an instant. "A name!"

"A name?" Superboy repeated in curiosity.

"We haven't given you a proper name yet!" He explained.

"I do have one," Superboy said flatly. "I'm Superboy.

Clark shook his head. "Superboy, to live normally among people, you need something else other than your hero name." At Superboy's unchanging expression, he elaborated. "There's definitely a time when you'll be glad to not have to be Superboy all the time too."

Superboy doubted that would be true it but kept silent.

"Do you have any preferences?" Clark asked. Superboy shook his head and the Kryptonian sighed. 'So I guess the naming thing falls to me, huh? Name, name, name. Gotta to think of a good one." The Kryptonian murmured several names under his breath before disqualifying them for assorted reasons. Superboy managed to pick out the names, 'Chris, Jonathan, Jerome, and Mark' among others before the Kryptonian clapped. "I got it!"

"Conner! Your name will be Conner Kent!"

* * *

End Chapter


	5. Late Nights

Sorry for the lateness. I've been out of the country.

You Are Not Alone

Chapter Five: Late Nights

* * *

After dinner and the christening of his name, the night had slowly died down. Clark ushered the younger boy into the shower so that he could finally slip out of the solar suit into a spare pair of Clark's pajamas. The reporter had unfortunately underestimated the size difference between the two. When he had come out of the bathroom, the poor boy was practically drowning in his clothes, making him appear far younger than he was.

Conner seemed far from affected and just rolled up his sleeves. "Goodnight," he said.

"Goodnight, Conner," he said back with a smile. "I just have some stuff that I need to catch up on so I'll be up a little longer." The clone nodded before heading up the stairs to the guest room that Clark converted to his room.

As soon as the boy was safely inside, Clark grabbed the solar suit out of the hamper and properly examined it with his X-ray vision. He had checked earlier to make sure there wasn't any type of tracker in the suit before he brought Superboy home but hopefully there might have been some clue as to who made it embedded in its design. After several minutes, he surrendered in disappointment. There was nothing in the suit that could lead him to the creators of it. Everything embedded in the fabric could be found in a hundred other tech companies in this day and age.

Disappointed, the man threw it in a corner. Superboy had explained that the material of the suit had made up for the lack of sunlight he was exposed to while being force grown. So at least if he brought to the Fortress to copy, he could have a useful item during his space missions with the league.

Clark heard the sound of light snoring and scanned upstairs to confirm that Conner was in fact slumbering. it seems was a surprisingly quick sleeper. It was a far cry from the man of steel who often spent hours in bed before he managed a wink of sleep.

Picking up his cell phone, he walked to his balcony flying upwards far out of what had to be Conner's hearing range. He knew he had some important calls to make and the last thing he needed was Conner overhearing him and getting the wrong impression by mistake. Going through his contacts, he hovered between Lois and his parents, wondering who he should call first. They were both going to be tough calls but he knew his parents would be far more understanding. The man of steel bit the bullet and picked what was definitely going to be the harder of the two calls.

 _"My, oh my,"_ his girlfriend's teasing voice said from the other end of the line. _"Is Clark Kent calling little old me? With how you disappeared the past few days, here I was thinking you forgot about me. Not too busy with the sun saving?"_

"I know I've been off the radar. But something really big has happened."

" _Bruce has finally become a bat?"_ she joked.

"It's serious." He said quietly. Before he described the past few days, Superboy and everything that followed.

 _"Is he cute?"_ she asked as soon as he finished.

"What?"

 _"What do you want me to say?"_ She asked. _"There's nothing in the girlfriend manual for this little scenario, Smallville. Breaking some new ground here."_

"I don't know. I'm just waiting for you to say it was a bad idea like the others."

 _"Do you trust him?"_ Lois asked.

He knew he had dozens of reasons to say why he shouldn't. Decent, understandable reasons as to why he should keep him at a distance that no one could question. He had heard them already. He definitely knew there was a possibility he was simply being desperate to no longer be the sole Kryptonian. But between his instincts as a reporter and a superhero, he liked to think he had gotten handle on people.

He had heard the honest desperation in the boy's voice as he explained his circumstances when he had met him that night. He was a boy who had his whole sense of purpose taken out from under him. He just knew in his heart of hearts, that this boy meant no harm.

_"Clark?"_

"I do."

 _"Then I trust you."_ She declared firmly. " _So did you tell your parents that you knocked up a test tube?"_

Clark ignored the insensitive analogy. "Not yet."

Clark had never heard someone wince over the phone before but the reporter managed to do it. She said hurriedly, _"I have an article to finish for the morning so I, Love you, Smallville. Good luck. You'll need it."_

* * *

Bruce was twenty six when he had just returned to Gotham. Years of traveling the world to become better, stronger, had finally left him with all the skills he needed to fix Gotham. He had been prepared to take back his city that night.

His first day back home, he and the rest of the world saw a man fly for the first time.

He had never felt so weak and ineffectual as he did the first time he saw Superman.

He had adapted as monsters of all shapes and sizes invaded his city. As similar heroes with equally outstanding abilities appeared side by side Metropolis' favorite son.

But Bruce had never forgotten how small he had felt next to the man who could touch the sun.

He had never worried about it. Because Superman was Clark, the country mouse with the kindest parents in the world. Who routinely sent Bruce a Christmas sweater, that the dark knight would wear reluctantly once for a holiday card. He never had to worry about a world where Clark would turn against them.

But now…

There were two of them

* * *

 _"Clark Jerome Kent, you mean to tell me that I have a grandchild and you've been feeding him leftovers and candy like a stray!"_ Martha Kent had gotten over the origins of Superboy in record time, used to all the insanity have the man of steel brought into her life. Instead she had a quite a lot to say about his eating habits.

 _"Has he even eaten anything that's not come out of a box?"_ She pressed.

Clark wisely stopped himself from pointing out that it didn't matter what Conner ate as a Kryptonian.

The silence was all the answer the Kent Matriarch needed.

"You bring him over for a proper meal, first thing tomorrow."

* * *

End Chapter

Next Chapter, Krypto and The Kents


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